Kindness of a Lie
by MineUnfaltering
Summary: Cinderella in the Cardboard Tag. What happened when Brennan ran into Sweets and Daisy that made her run to Booth, and what was the real- by real I mean my opinion - reason she showed up on Booths door step ready to confess her jealousy?
1. Chances

Okay, so here is my tag (is that the right term?) for Cinderella in the Cardboard.

There is going to be another chapter, but just one more. I'm working on it write now, but I wanted to go ahead and get this out. I think there was something more to Brennans visit that night. She said she saw Dasiy and Sweets, but what did they say to each other?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy, let me know what you think!

-Mine

-Disclaimer: No, Bones isn't not mine, 'Mine' is just short for my screnn name-- I had you fooled though right? Right??

* * *

"Dr. Brennan!"

Brennan froze at the sound of Daisy's voice as it echoed down the hall. Brennan turned and smiled tightly in greeting. Daisy was a bright student, who always did her work. Rationally that was all that should matter to her, but Brennan couldn't seem to manage to enjoy the girl. She was just too happy, too needy. Brennan didn't dislike her, just being in her presence for extended periods of time. Brennan wasn't sure if she was more annoyed at Daisy or at the fact that Daisy made her question her choice of favorite flowers.

"Hello, Miss Wick, Dr. Sweets." Brennan acknowledged as they both walked down the hall towards her. Brennan wanted nothing more than to leave, she did not want to get caught up in a lovers quarrel. Taking in their appearances however Brennan had to conclude that they did not seem to be fighting. They were both smiling, Sweets had his arm around her, and Daisy was hugging his waste.

Brennan didn't know what to think. She wanted to go home, and be by herself while she thought over the case. The website owners confession had shaken her, but she wasn't ready to face why yet. The last thing she wanted was to get caught up in relationship drama, when she was no good at them herself.

"Dr. Brennan, I'm glad I caught you!" Sweets said smiling at her, in complete opposition to how she'd last seen him as she left Booths office.

"Why?" Brennan asked, she thought he was mad at her for telling the truth about Daisy. Brennan frowned as she had a disturbing thought. Sweets wouldn't wait to use her as a witness to confront Daisy would he? She definitely did not want to be there for that.

"I wanted to thank you for your honesty, Dr. Brennan, and to also explain that you were mistaken about Daisy's actions." Sweets said, not bitterness to his tone.

"Mistaken?" Brennan asked eyeing the entwined couple. She knew what she saw. Well, she knew what Booth had made of what they saw. She trusted his judgment. If he said Daisy was cheating that chances were that she was.

_He's not perfect, Brennan, _she reminded herself, he could make a mistake.

Daisy's eyes got rather large as she leaned in towards Brennan. "I know, I was shocked to. I mean, your such a genius and all, I didn't see how you could have.'

"Could have what, exactly?" Brennan asked still confused.

"Made a mistake. Lancelot explained it to me though."

"Daisy…." Sweets warned, his smile falling a bit.

Daisy simply giggled, "Lance says you were working off of the evidence provided, not my character. I have to admit I would have arrived at the same conclusion."

"Your character?" Brennan asked, more confused now than moments before.

"Yes. You see, Dr. Brennan, Daisy wasn't cheating on me, she was trying on a dress for her cousin who is out of town. She was with her cousin's fiancé."

Brennan wasn't sure what to say she wasn't often wrong. It wasn't it wasn't as though she thought couldn't be wrong, just that she usually worked out all the facts so that her conclusions were irrefutable. That's who she was, that's what she did. She'd been so focused on the truth that she'd forgotten to look at the evidence from every possible angle to be sure that she _had _the truth.

When had she stopped looking at things from every possible angle? When had she started to jump to conclusions? When had Booth's gut assessment been enough for her to form a conclusion?

"I apologize for the misconception. It was not my intent to question your character, Miss Wick, nor to cause you pain Sweets." Brennan said, fearing that words would not fix things.

"That's alright Dr. Brennan, You made a logical conclusion based off the evidence you were provided with." Daisy responded, still cheerful. Sweets wasn't smiling anymore though.

'Daisy, would you mind going ahead to the car, I'd like a quick word with Dr. Brennan." Sweets said smiling at her.

"Sure, but don't be long Lancelot." Sweets gave her a kiss and the keys, and waited for her to disappear down the hall before turning back, and gesturing to an empty room on their left.

Brennan followed him without a word, regretting now not taking the website manager, Rossi, down with Booth. He would be on his way by now, not trapped in a room with a shrink. But she hadn't gone with Booth, needing some time away from him to think clearly about the confession they'd heard. Needing time to come back from the paths that Rossi's words had taken her thoughts.

"Sweets, I really am sorry my actions caused you pain."

"You don't mean that."

Brennan looked up at him, shocked. Did he really believe her to be so heartless, and cold that she wouldn't regret causing him pain? Booth had made it a point over the last few weeks to remind her that she wasn't good with people, or emotions.

"Yes, I do."

"No, Dr. Brennan, I don't mean your apology, I know you are sincere in that. I meant that you don't believe that your actions were wrong."

She wasn't sure what to say as she stood there. No, she knew she should deny it, that is what everyone else would apparently do, but she couldn't. She valued truth and honesty. Brennan decided it would be best to just explain her reasoning, and hope he would understand.

"I realize that there are times when people deserve what Booth refers to as 'the kindness of a lie.' For instance, a friend or family member does not need to know the extent of the pain their loved one experienced before their death. But in your instance I couldn't justify a lie. You believe in monogamy, in having faithful relationships. While I don't necessarily agree with your beliefs I can respect them. It would have been cruel to let you live a lie, and though it is pointless to speculate, if I were to hold your beliefs and found myself in you situation I feel that I would have appreciated someone being honest with me."

Brennan was Sweets took in the information, nervous as to wait he would make of her speech. She wasn't sure what to say, but the silence was weighing on her.

"As I said speculation is pointless, especially since there was nothing to be honest about. I should have listened to Booth and the others."

"Booth and the others?" Sweets asked, breaking his silence.

"Yes, they could see that this was something I should have withheld."

"So everyone knew, but no one said anything to me?" Sweets asked, he seemed troubled by this.

"Yes, they have better sense of when matters should be left alone." Brennan said looking down so as not to burden him with her guilt.

"Dr. Brennan, I realize that I probably gave you the wrong impression earlier. The shock of the news you gave me was too much, and I couldn't handle it properly. I realize to that I probably seemed ungrateful and angry, so I would like to apologize for that. I'm sorry if I made you feel as though your actions were wrong. They weren't. I do appreciate your honesty. It just took me a little time to see that."

Brennan looked up shocked at what she was hearing. This was not what she had expected. "So you're not mad at me, even though I almost ruined your relationship?"

"I'm not mad. You did what you thought was right, Dr. Brennan."

The words triggered a memory of Sweets sitting on a jury stand telling the world the way her father's mind worked. "So what? I'm just like my father?" Brennan asked scared of the thought.

"What do you think Dr. Brennan? Why did you tell me the truth?" Sweets stood there waiting for an answer that Brennan had no plans on giving him.

"I have to go Sweets." Brennan said after the silence had begun to grow uncomfortable again. "I am sorry, Sweets, for any pain, regardless as to whether or not I was right to be honest." With a final nod Brennan turned and walk out of the room, hurrying to escape the building and get home.

Brennan reached her car, climbed in and began to think. She couldn't be her father she simply wasn't like him. But then why had she felt the need to tell Sweets the truth? It wasn't because she had a mania for the truth; she _had_ just acknowledged that there were indeed times when the kindness of a lie was justified. No, she had told him the truth because she liked Sweets, he had dig his way into their little group, and though she didn't believe in his methodology, or his field of study, she still respected and like him.

She had done it to protect him. She couldn't be like the others and hide this truth from him the way Sweets himself had hidden the truth from her when he didn't tell her Booth was alive. She knew how it felt to build something on what you believe to be fact-it didn't matter whether that fact was something good like a relationship, or if it was devastating like the death of a partner- only to have it torn down by the people you believed were there to catch you if your strong hold crumbled and you fell. Even if one had no intention on ever falling, or any desire to be caught. She hadn't wanted that to happen to Sweet, and she defiantly had not wanted to be the cause.

So she had told him, ignoring all other possible conclusions, in order to protect him, regardless of what the news might do to him, how it might hurt him, she felt it couldn't be worse than not acting and seeing his pain later.

She was just like her father. Acting without thought to the consequence, vainly thinking that her solution would be the best way for everyone, not giving them the chance to decide what was best for them.

Suddenly with absolute clarity she saw what had been bugging her about Kurtis Rossi's confession earlier. His words, and her recent revelations were coming together, dozens of little pieces of the same puzzle, finally forming a picture.

Rossi said that he'd just wanted to be given a chance. Well, she could afford to give someone chance. Brennan started her car, smiling grimly. Maybe it was time she stopped using the kindness of one particular lie. She didn't want to be like her father, she could give someone a chance to make his own choice in the matter, not just acting on what she thought was right. By living behind their lie- _their line_ Brennan corrected herself- she was being everything she didn't want to be.

Backing out of the Hoover parking garage, Brennan headed with a not to her apartment, but another, hoping that she too would be given a chance.


	2. Answers

Okay, sorry about the delay I had this typed up but then decided I didn't like it and started all over again. I'm much happier with it now.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I really appreciate you taking the time to do so. And thanks for the numerous story adds and alerts, I'm glad you guys are enjoying this!

So here is the second part, let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: Neither the characters nor the dialogue is mine.

* * *

Brennan took a deep breath as she parked her car. This wasn't going to be easy, he had done nothing to make her believe that she would be received any differently this time. In fact everything pointed to another disappointment. He was always talking about his 'eventually' and telling her she just had to be ready for 'it'. Her favorite was when after the Busted by Bill case he told her _she_ just had to be _open_ enough to see it.

Hadn't see been open enough? Hadn't see shared more with this man, given him more, allowed him to take more than any other person in her life ever? Despite the illogic of it, she had felt the urge to grab him and shake some sense into him. To scream and shout until he understood that she wasn't looking anymore, that she had been ready, that she couldn't be more open until he reciprocated. That she was just waiting for him.

They had been standing in the shadow of a lie for so long now. Wasn't he tired? She knew he felt it, she knew he fought it. They were both aware, but they had decided wordlessly early on that they would be just partners. He had put that line in place because he could see that she was tired of fighting, two years ago. But he hadn't been ready, he wouldn't tell her of a line he'd drawn for himself. He had drawn it for _her_ because he felt a need for it. There wouldn't need to be a line if he believed neither one wanted to cross it. He had drawn it because he'd seen her coming over, and he hadn't been ready. So she agreed to the kindness of the lie. Just Partners. They would fight the pull they both felt. But Brennan was tired. She knew she could continue to fight the pull. To hide behind a lie instead of facing the truth of what they were. She was strong, they both were. They could fight indefinably, but why should they?

Sweets' words tonight had pushed her here, outside Booth's door. She had told the truth to Sweets to protect him. Shouldn't she tell the truth to Booth? Shouldn't they be honest?

Their murderer Rossi hadn't confessed to Booth. He had looked right at her He'd confessed to her, something in him had recognized a piece of her, and allowed him to connect. Could he see that she to was just waiting to be given a chance? He'd looked right at her when he had said that he was just what the victim had asked for, and something had begun to click in her mind. But she didn't have time to explore it because of her run in with Daisy and Sweets. Sweets' words had given her the push she needed, by helping her see the truth behind her actions.

Brennan was more like her father than she knew. She needed to give Booth the choice. See whether or not he still wanted to be protected by the lie. Maybe he had moved pass it; maybe he wanted to escape to the truth of what they were.

_You thought that before, _Brennan reminded herself. She had believed that he was ready to live the truth of them, all those little moments in the last year of their partnership before Gormogon had made her believe that he was finally ready. They way he had told her about making love, they way he had he described a family to her after they had given Andy a new home. They way he had met her challenge on the stand during her fathers trail, having recalled the way he had challenged her once their first year working together. He hadn't flinched. With all the talk of them being the center, how could she think otherwise? The center, after all, implied a circle, a unit of sorts, not an unending line. She should have remembered that line would continue on infinitively unless declared points of desistance. He had not declared any desistance, and until he did the line would continue. He hadn't been ready. 'Eventually' couldn't be marked on a line.

Recalling this, Brennan froze for a moment on her doorstep. Was she ready for this? Was she brave enough to try? Rossi's words came back to her again. _I was everything she asked for. _Was that it? Did she simply need to ask for Booth? Perhaps he was ready now and unable to call a quit to the line because she was still allowing him the kindness of the lie. Maybe she simply needed to be honest about what she wanted. She had never actually told him what she was looking for, how could he know that it was him. Maybe he was just as eager for the truth as she was.

_What evidence do you have for that?_ Brennan tempered down the taunting voice in her mind. Maybe had never been an acceptable answer. She had never allowed a maybe to move her to a decision. But for Booth, for a chance, just a chance, for them, it had to be enough.

Gathering her courage Brennan reached out her handed and knocked.

"Booth, its me Bones." Too late to turn away now.

'Hi!" Booth greeted her, opening the door for her to come in. She took in his clean attire, and felt a wave of fear crash over her. He was obviously planning on going out somewhere, unburdened by thoughts of 'maybe.'

"I should have called." Brennan said stalling.

"No, come on in. Are you kiddin' me?" Booth said, gesturing her inside.

Brennan charged in, afraid that if she waited she would just turn and run. But where should she begin? He would need a reason for her presence. She supposed it would be best to inform him of her meeting with Sweets.

"I saw Sweets and Daisy, and I was wrong. She wasn't cheating on him." Brennan explained making her way into his living room, trying to prepare herself.

"Well that's a good thing right?" He asked following behind her.

'Well, I wanted to spare him pain, but all I did was cause it." Brennan sat down on his sofa, taking him in again. He was looking at her with that expression he got, the one that made her want to lose herself in the brown warmth of them. The thought made gave her an idea. She just had to be brave enough to say the words out loud, she could confess this to him. She could confess everything to him, and still allow him the choice. She could tell him what she wanted, and leave it to him whether or not he was ready to accept that she wanted it from him.

"You meant well." He said, standing in front of her, watching her, staring at her.

"I made him so jealous I almost ruined their relationship. I should have listened to you." _I will listen to you, _Brennan promised silently waiting for him top respond.

"Maybe next time you will."

Brennan sighed accepting that. She didn't agree that she shouldn't have told Sweets, but she should have listened when Booth had said they were dealing with a lot of emotions in that situation, and she now saw that she should have given Sweets the opportunity to decide whether or not he wanted to be protected. She knew know to give Booth that chance. Sighing heavily Brennan knew she needed to say what she came to say, more fear pooled through her, she might just need some help getting through this.

"Hey, I was just going to go out, grab a bite to eat, maybe some Chinese, maybe some-."

Brennan cut him off, pushing herself into action. "I'd rather drink. Do you want one?" Brennan grabbed a cup before he replied, ignoring his mumbling about his good scotch. She gave him a cup, and clutched the bottle to her afraid to let go, afraid to take a drink, fearing it would give her time to change her mind. She sat down. How to start? What had she just been talking about? Sweets' jealousy. That could work.

"Intellectually I know that jealousy is absurd. But I see that its real for people." Brennan said trying to make her voice stay calm, watching Booth absorb her words. Unable to look at him for the next part, she looked down. "I even experience it myself."

Silence hung as she said this. She braved a glance at Booth, who was making his way towards her. She wondered if maybe really was enough, and determined it had to be as he sat next to her.

"So, what are you jealous of?" He asked.

"Angela." She was brave enough not only to admit her emotions and needs but also to live in and through them.

"Hodgins." He had been willing to take the risk. He had embraced both the truth of science and the truth of his feelings. It had failed, he had fallen, but he was on his feet again. Willing to try again.

"Cam." She was another who had found the balance between science and emotion. She had been brave enough to walk away from a relationship that left her hurting, and instead of closing herself off, she had put herself back out there in hope.

Before she could change her mind she met his gaze. "You." She was jealous of his easy belief in true love everlasting, but he wasn't like the rest. He was like her. They were the same. They were both hiding together. Now she was ready to come out of hiding, she needed to know if he would come with her. If he would accept her coming admission for what it was.

"Why?" He asked as their gazes meet, and she took courage from the feeling his eyes evoked earlier.

"Because you all want to loose yourself in another person." Brennan met his gaze and glanced away, knowing she needed to finish, unable to get lost in him just yet. She needed him to choose first, and for him to choose he needed to know _he_ was exactly what _she_ wanted.

"You believe that love is transcendent and eternal." Brennan looked straight at him this time, and didn't let her gaze shy away. He needed to see she meant her next words. That she was ready for accept the ideas and beliefs he held, if he accepted her, and helped her understand them along the way.

With a deep breath, Brennan prepared herself. It was his choice and she would listen to him, to his choice, whether it brought her happiness or pain. Knowing that regardless of what he chose she would remain by him, stepping into the truth, or sinking back into the lie.

"I want to believe that too." Everything within her stilled her thoughts, her breath, even her heart skipped, waiting, hoping.

"Hey," Booth said, moving towards her, and Brennan felt everything wind tighter within her. "You will. I promise."

Everything came undone. Releasing her breath, she closed her eyes, wanting to hide the disappointment, and loss she felt. He wasn't ready. He was still hiding.

"Someday, you will."

Brennan opened her eyes, and let out half a sigh and half a dark scorn at herself. She should have known better. He was still promising "someday" to her. Unwilling, or unable, to accept that she wanted today, she wanted now with him. That he was the only one she wanted to believe in transcendent and eternal love with.

"Someday." He promised again, and raised his glass to her.

She tried to laugh to smile, sounded more to her like she was choking on the release of all the hope that had built up.

Brennan raised her bottle to his, resigning herself to the shadows as he continued to promise. There was no comfort in his words; they only brought to her the painful realization that there was no more kindness in their lie.


End file.
